Nowadays, town centres are regarded as being one of
the key elements of sustainable development for the 21st century.

The challenge that has to be addressed is twofold:
attracting new inhabitants whose needs in terms of living environment can no
longer be answered and developing a lasting form of economic activity. In order
to rise to these challenges, town centres must implement active reinvestment
policies allowing the reestablishment of favourable social and economic
development environments, while at the same time managing urban space
collectively.

The aim is to help players recognise that they have a mutual
interest in collaborating by encouraging positive effects throughout the entire
town centre.

Every town centre is unique: this is why Town Centre
Management supports the development of partnerships that reflect the reality
out in the field and works with groups that are the most appropriate to promote
its development.

The general operational structure, the work methods
and the underpinning philosophy remain identical.

As a catalyst for Town Centre Management, the
Association du Management de Centre-Ville (AMCV), which was founded in 1997, is
co-founder of European Federation of Town Centres. The AMCV's members are
public and private stakeholders, local Town Centre Management associations and
towns wishing to implement this type of urban management. The AMCV plays the
key role of the neutral element, whether at regional or federal level.